Hello Everyone (I feel like I'm lowering the average age)

Piapiapiapaul

Hi everyone!

My name is Paul and I'm 33 years old living in Lincolnshire. The last few years I've been going backwards and forwards to the doctor's and for various different appointments with specialists and physiotherapists with leg pains.

For about 4 years I've had intermittent pain that will sometimes twinge unexpectedly, or be quite sustained over a period of days. I've found that it's one of three degrees of pain 1) hardly any pain 2) enough discomfort to give me a limp in either or both legs 3) so much pain that getting dressed, or into a car is almost impossible.

I have just been given an appointment at my hospital for infections into my hips to see if this helps. From what they've said it will either help or it won't and if it doesn't then the next step is to be replacing my hips. I'm not going to lie that sounds pretty daunting, especially as I'm only 33, but if it was too get rid of the pain then I'm up for that.

Does anyone have a similar story who's of a similar age to me who can share what they've gone through and if you've had these injections or even a new hip how it's been for you.

Thanks everyone! I'm really pleased to have found a forum to discuss all this!

Paul x

dreamdaisy

Hello, I assume you have osteoarthritis and I also assume that you will be having injections into the hips. I suspect these will be a steroid and, if they decide to work, they can be very effective for up to three months. I have OA all over the place thanks to the joint damage caused by my other arthritis so am in a very different situation.

You are young for OA but not the youngest with OA that we have had on here: the youngest so far was 18 months old and he had Juvenile Inflammatory Arthritis, one of the auto-immune kinds. Arthritis is an equal-opportunities disease so very PC for the 21st century. It also remains incurable (if one has the wrong kind) but you have the right kind in the right place: if it comes to surgery then that could change your life. Hip replacement surgery is a comparatively simple operation but here your age may well work against you. The younger you are when you have it done the greater the chances of needing more than one revision, i.e. the replacement of the replacement. I was refused new knees aged 52 for precisely that reason, I was too young. DD

Jackie47

Hi. My advice would be try the injections as it could help you even in the short term or even longer. Try not to overload your mind on what might be. I know it’s a bit daunting but it is what it is. Get as much information as you can and be ready to ask questions . I’m not in your age bracket,but have had a hip replacement and recovery wasn’t bad at all and soon forgotten, I know a professional dancer who in his 30’s had both replaced and back dancing. Keep positive

stickywicket

Hi Paul. Lowering the average age? Possibly but not by much though younger people, if they are working and / or trying to raise a family, understandably don't have much time for hanging about here.

I'm a bit puzzled because you mention injections (well, actually 'infections' but, thankfully, that's not a treatment for arthritis ) but not medication. Have you been offered anti-inflammatories or pain relief? Jumping to steroid injections isn't usually the first line of treatment. And, will it work? No-one knows. Sometimes they work well for a couple of months. Other times, with the same person, they don't work at all. It's a lottery, though a nice one when they do work.

I've had both hips replaced. And both knees but I started at 15 with RA. I've never regretted any of them. but, to be honest, I'd be surprised if you could get joints replaced on the NHS at your age. OK, I was 35 when I got my knees replaced but, by then, I'd had RA for 20 years and OA for a few less. And there weren't as many people needing new joints. And the NHS wasn't in dire straits. They don't like replacing joints in younger people because they do wear out. Revision operations are trickier.

You mention physio. Sometimes people dismiss physio because it 'doesn't work', meaning it doesn't cure them. Nothing cures arthritis but I've now had it for nearly 60 years and, despite my replaced joints, without my physio exercises I'm sure I wouldn't still be walking. They keep muscles strong and supportive and supporting muscles mean less pain and slower deterioration.

Have you checked out our big section on living with arthritis (https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis ) There's a lot of important stuff in there. And please get back if you've any questions.

Vickstick74

Hi Paul.
I'm new to the forum but definitely not to the whole hip replacement extravaganza! I had my left hip replaced when I was 32 and can honestly say it was the best thing to happen for me. I've suffered with hip problems from a very young age but all got worse when I had my son. The hip replacement was the final option for me after years of pain and immobility but since having it done 12 years ago I've had no problems with my left hip at all. I'm now 44 and am pushing to have the right hip done as I feel that even though I might need 2nd replacements done in each hip, its definitely improved my quality of life! I recommend it fully. It puts you out of action for about 3 months for recovery but imo that's better that goodness knows how many years.